A Merciless, Beautiful World
by attackonravioli
Summary: Erika Cho has miraculously survived the breach on Wall Maria by sheltering herself in her basement. Captain Erwin and Levi encounter her while making their final rounds about Zhiganshina in search of survivors and Erwin decides to take her in and train her to be a part of the Survey Corps. However, she has to deal with Levi as her commander. {Levi/OC} Rated T, may change to M.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan.**

**Reader disclaimer: updates will be sporadic. I'll try to update as often as possible, maybe once a week, but that will be very difficult so don't count on it too much. Weeks****_ may_**** go by before my updates because I am rather busy but I enjoy writing as a stress-reliever. I'll try to make the main chapters longer than this one, but this is a bit of a prologue so bear with me. Enjoy...**

Erika Cho lay perfectly still in the ruins of her trampled cottage, the shade casting a dark shadow across her petite frame. The rumbling vibrated throughout her bones and she shut her brown eyes, trying to keep her breathing steady. She let out a tiny squeak as some rubble slid from the now-crumbled roof to the pit of the tiny basement she resided in. Mere seconds had passed since the monstrous titan had kicked over the place she once called home. Erika was in the basement when it had happened, but her parents were not so lucky.

The screaming was never-ending. Chaos resumed above her as the darkness crept inside of her. Every now and then she would hear someone nearby and would open her mouth to cry out, but no sound would escape. At one point the girl opened her eyes but found she was unable to shut them again. Anxiety increased as the sun made its descent in the sky and the noise slowly drew to an end. The day had ended.

And Erika was still there.

* * *

The pain in her stomach was what awoke her. The gasp was audible and did not help the fire in her parched throat. Muscles groaning, sixteen-year-old Erika Cho rolled onto her side. Her collar-length black hair was stuck to her neck in a dried sweat. The memories slowly approached and then ran her over without warning. Blood had seeped through the patchwork of the thatched roof that now hung a foot away from her face and she could not break her gaze with it. Did it belong to her mother, a chubby but lovable woman who did laundry around the neighborhood? Perhaps it belonged to her father, a tall merchant who worked in the busy part of Zhiganshina. Either way she could not comprehend this massive blow…or the tears streaking down her face. How long had she been crying anyway?

How could her entire world be wiped away in the blink of an eye?

* * *

Captain Erwin's boots clicked on the scattered stones as he surveyed the wreckage. His horse trotted alongside him leaving prints in the dirt street. Little did he know a girl lay trembling underneath his very feet.

"Any more survivors, _heichou_?"

Erwin turned to glance down at his small trainee. For what he lacked in height, Levi made up for in skill, and anyone could go on and on about his proficiency with taking down titans.

"None that I can tell," Erwin replied. "We should leave, it's been nearly an hour and this land now belongs to those beasts that plague our earth. Who knows how long it will be before they notice us."

The older man hopped on his horse and the younger man followed suit.

* * *

She knew they were there. How could someone ignore those heavy footsteps anyway?

Then they began to depart.

She panicked.

Opening her mouth as wide as possible, she let a scream rip through her.

But nothing left her throat.

* * *

Levi's green cape rippled behind him as his horse started moving. After a couple of steps however, the animal unexpectedly stopped.

"What the hell?"

The horse turned to face the ruins of the house they had just passed and cocked its head.

"_Heichou_," Levi called. His horse would not budge.

Erwin, a few meters in front, steered back around, "What is it, Rivaille?"

The horse lowered its head and began sniffing. Levi hopped off and began walking towards the house. Suddenly, he heard it.

It was faint. Only the sensitive ears of an animal could have picked it up from their juxtaposition.

Erwin slid off his horse and followed the young man. Together they shoved what was left of the woven roof away in a cloud of dust and rubble.

Erika Cho almost blended into the dirt ground, her small figure dusted over and earth-colored clothing making a perfect camouflage. She tried to open her eyes, but found that she could not.

After all, it had been a full day since she had seen sunlight. She could not even speak, only signaling the horse, and eventually the men, over with clicks of her dry tongue.

Erwin dropped down into the pit and gently rolled her onto her back.

"Rivaille!" He said urgently, "Get me some water and a blanket."

Levi retrieved the canteen of water from his horse's pack, but found there did not seem to be a blanket. Nonetheless, he found himself handing Erwin the water and watched as he tipped some into her mouth.

"Where's that blanket?" He demanded, "She's in shock."

"Sir, there was no blanket."

"Then give me your cloak. She needs something and I only have my jacket."

Levi reluctantly removed his cloak and handed it over. As much as he wanted to be of help, the girl looked ridden with bacteria.

Erwin wrapped it around her tightly and scooped her up, carrying her out of the destroyed ruins.


	2. Chapter 1

**Wow I updated fast. Maybe this will go faster than I thought...until I start studying for finals. Oh well. _PS-REVIEWS = FASTER_** _**UPDATES**_**  
**

* * *

The sunlight was quickly fading as Erwin gazed out the window of his living quarters pondering what to do about Erika. She had fallen asleep during the ride back and although he had carried her and set her down rather roughly on the couch in the parlor, she had not woken up yet. _Is she old enough to join the scouting legion?_ He wondered. Or the better question: _Is she strong enough?_

He estimated her age to be somewhere from fourteen to sixteen, but it is difficult to tell when one is coated in ashes and dirt. Her height was small, somewhere between 155 and 165 centimeters. Her thin frame was lacking in fat (_lack of food, most likely_) but she did not seem to have much muscle either.

Levi had left abruptly after they arrived back at the camp. He did not seem to notice that the girl still had his cloak, or maybe he just did not care for it anymore (_that boy won't come within three meters of a speck of dirt_). Either way, she was still tightly wrapped up, like a caterpillar in a chrysalis.

Her home was obliterated so she had nowhere to return to. _Maybe she could become part of the Garrison?_ He did not indulge himself in the thought of her becoming part of the Military Police; that was exclusively for the top ten graduates. The Survey Corps seem like they would be too much, especially for a girl of her stature. But then again, Levi was around the same build, the only difference was the contrast in muscle. He had been training for as long as Erwin had known him as well.

Still, she looked very aerodynamic which was a must if one wished to operate the 3D Maneuver Gear effectively. Not to mention that smaller people are generally faster as well. She must be a smart girl, too, for she had escaped to the basement in order to survive the breach on Wall Maria. She knows how to survive and survival is not taught, it is an instinct. Survival is key in the Survey Corps, for too many people have been lost to the gargantuan enemy already.

_The Survey Corps aren't sounding too bad now_, he speculated. Of course, he would consult with Rivaille beforehand. Who better to judge someone's ability to fight other than the man worth one hundred?

He turned and walked into the kitchenette he was provided with to put the kettle on for tea. Once the water was brought to a boil, a book of strategies found itself in his hands. He fell asleep somewhere between the phalanx and trench warfare.

Approximately four minutes later the water reached a boil and about thirty seconds after that, a high-pitched whining shattered the air.

The world came into view around her and she toppled off of the couch in an attempt to get up. She was twisted up in the green cape and beginning to get a headache from this weird noise.

Meanwhile, Erwin lay in the kitchen fast asleep, a small puddle of drool forming across a page of Roman infantry tactics.

Once the girl managed to untangle herself from the billowy garment, she stumbled into the next room and tended to the source of the noise.

Erika then realized she had no idea where she was. All she remembered was darkness, titans, and a whole lot of screaming. Then she noticed the man snoring with his head on the table.

Well, the girl had never been shy.

"What do you want?" He grumbled after she jabbed his shoulder a couple times. Once he turned to face her, she held eye contact and he seemed to remember.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I'm not usually like this I swear," he began. She stared blankly at him. "Well," he clapped his hands together. "I guess I should begin by introducing myself. My name is Captain Erwin."

Her brown eyes looked him over cautiously before replying. "I'm Erika."

"Nice to meet you," he offered a smile and stuck out his hand. She returned the handshake with an uneasy look.

"Um, your water is done boiling." She pitched.

"Oh, yes, it is. I must have fallen asleep." An awkward silence presumed.

"So where am I?" She questioned.

"Oh, um," he stuttered. "I picked you up when Lance Corporal Rivaille and I were searching for survivors."

The awkward silence continued as she absorbed this. Is this where she lived now?

"You probably want to clean yourself up. You are welcome to use my shower for tonight and I'm pretty sure we can spare a bed in one of the female barracks." He smiled again. This time she realized how filthy she must be and returned the smile gently.

"The bathroom is down at the end of that hallway. I'll find a girl that can lend you clothes until we can get you some of your own. They will be waiting outside the door for you." He pointed her in the right direction and she nodded with a small "thank you" before padding down the long hallway.

When he heard the water start, Erwin left his little flat and went in search of a girl the size of Erika.

* * *

She could not sleep. Haunted by flashbacks, all Erika could do was lie on her side, curled up in a ball while silent tears kissed her cheeks as her mother once had. The pillow was dotted with the stains of mourning as she said a silent prayer for the parents she never got to say goodbye to.

Her throat was parched and the steady breaths increased pace as they turned to short gasps getting quicker and quicker. She was almost positive she was going to wake the other girls with the palpitations from her rapidly beating heart. The blood rushed to her head and overwhelmed by anxiety, she bit the pillow to keep from crying out. This slowed her breathing down and she smoothly slid out of bed and into the night to loosen up her cramped muscles.

She particularly liked the way the early morning dew left droplets on her feet. The cold air was refreshing after the humid day that had preceded it.

As the stars twinkled, Erika forgot about her situation and sat down, leaning back and resting her head on her folded hands. Her father had told her that if you connect the right stars, they form pictures. The only constellation she could remember was Orion, the Greek hunter. Pointing her finger at the sky, she drew out his belt and moved to his arm, then his shield, then his sword…

"Why are you out of bed?"

She did not jump, but she was surprised. A man was standing behind her and she sat up and twisted around to look at him. He had a dark fringe hanging over his forehead and a green cloak that moved gently in the breeze.

"I couldn't sleep." She replied coolly. The light from the constellations glinted in his dark eyes. He saw through her cool exterior.

"You need to go to bed." He insisted  
"You need to go as well," she retorted. Who was he to tell her what to do? "I'm not the only one out of bed here."

"I don't have to take orders from you." His anger was evident, but he kept his composure. After all, someone worth an entire unit of recon should not have to deign to argue with a meager teenager they plucked off of the street. However, he had to tolerate her for Captain Erwin.

"I'm not trying to order you around; I'm just saying that I'm not the only one that needs sleep." She turned back around, resumed her recline-and-point position, and finished off Orion's legs.

The man clenched his fists in anger before stepping in front of her and seizing her wrist. He tugged her up to her feet with ease and before she could topple over from imbalance, he grabbed her waist to steady her and leaned in close.

"Listen," his eyes were slits as he whispered through his teeth. "We didn't have to rescue you. We could have just left you there under the ruins of that shitshack you called a house. You better start showing some gratitude or your life here will be a living hell."

A sudden wave of nausea rushed over her and she broke out in a cold sweat as she realized she had nowhere to go. This was her new home whether she like it or not.

She tried to yank her wrist out of his grasp but he wouldn't let her. After another death glare, he gave her a shove and pivoted around.

"Go to bed."

She stumbled and regained her balance with a huff.

* * *

The next morning, Erwin and Levi sat at the head table at the front of the breakfast concession with the other captains.

"I talked to that girl last night," Erwin turned to face Levi. "I've been thinking a lot about her recently and what to do about her."

"Which girl?" Levi gave no expression.

"You know which one."

After no response from the younger man, Erwin continued, "I think she would be a great contribution to the Survey Corps."

Levi looked mildly surprised. "She was out of bed last night and when I told her to go to bed, she claimed she couldn't sleep."  
Erwin set his spoon down. "Rivaille, you can't just tell her to go to bed. I'm not surprised she couldn't sleep; her family was destroyed by titans and she was caught up in the wreckage."

"Well you never would have guessed that by the way she was acting."

A silence presumed as they continued to eat their breakfast. The girl was sitting on the other side of the concession at a table of girls. She looked like she was part of something, but she did not speak. There was a lost look in her eyes and it was obvious she did not belong.

"I'm entering her into the Survey Corps and I feel it best that you command her group of trainees. She needs to get caught up with the others and you tend to work your groups more vigorously." Erwin explained. Levi felt a twinge of annoyance, but quickly got over it. He could handle some ratty teenager from that dump Zhiganshina.

"I'm going to have to evaluate her before she starts," Levi said. "Just to see where she's at. The evaluation will commence tonight and she will start training tomorrow."

He dropped his spoon into his empty tin with a small clang, got up, and exited the hall.


	3. Chapter 2

**If you like it, review! Thanks for reading :)**

Though it was true Erika had never been shy, she seemed to keep to herself a lot. During breakfast, she ate silently, looking down at her food with a solemn stare. During training, she sat in the fields alone and braided blades of grass together, for she had never been assigned a training group.

That night at dinner, things seemed as usual. She plopped down at a table of other trainees and they did not pay her any attention for she did not draw any to herself. While the bread stuck to the inside of her mouth and the water tasted slightly metallic, it was not the worst meal she had ever had.

"Erika Cho."

The girl's head did not move but she raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Come with me."

She spun around to face the same man that had ordered her to bed the night before. He was rather small but intimidating.

"I'll come with you if you tell me who you are," she glared down at her lap. He had an ambiance that made him superior and she hated it. It was almost to the point where she could not look him in the eye, staring at her hands instead.

"I am Lance Corporal Levi but you will address me as 'Corporal.' Understand?"

She nodded towards the ground.

"Good. Now come with me."

She stood up and followed him out of the hall. The day was at a point where it was beginning to cool but it was still relatively warm. Partly from humidity, partly from the tangible tension that hung about them.

After a few minutes of walking, she broke the tension and asked where they were going.

"I am going to evaluate you so I can see where you're at. When you join my training group, I want you to be caught up with the other trainees." He replied.

"Wait, I'm joining a training group?" Erika asked, irritated. "I know next to nothing about the titans-"

"Then you're halfway there."

"What makes you think I can fight them?" She was very agitated now.

The corporal turned around. "There is very little we know about the titans other than the only way to kill them is to slice out the back of their necks. And no one said anything about thinking you could fight them. The only reason we're putting you into the training program is that if you're going to stay here, you have to be somewhat productive. You can't live here for nothing and expect to be taken care of."

The girl stepped up to him, thoroughly provoked and annoyed.

"Who said I wanted to live here anyway?" She seethed, glaring up at his dull expression. "I don't need _you _to take care of me."

His expression became intensely pissed and he seized the front of her shirt, pulling her toward him so they were face to face.

"I think there's something you don't seem to understand, so I'm going to put it simply." he began in a clenched whisper. "_You have nowhere else to go_."

Her expression dropped.

"Anywhere outside of these walls now belongs to the enemy, so unless you want to become titan-meat, I suggest you stop acting like a brat and start acting grateful. Understand?"

She nodded.

* * *

The sun was low in the sky as their footsteps left two trails of boot prints in the dirt where the grass had worn away. When they reached the rows of antennae-like suspension contraptions, Erika grew apprehensive. She knew what this was, I mean, she was not a complete idiot. 3D Maneuver Gear could not be that difficult.

Right?

Levi wordlessly tossed her a harness and walked over to the side of the contrivance to adjust it for her height. Erika looked down towards the garment at her feet wearily before pulling it up to her waist. She pulled the band to tighten the waist-harness and then tugged the straps that tightened around her upper thighs. The only problem was as soon as she tightened the straps, they slid right back out.

"Well?" The corporal demanded. "Don't you know how to put on a belt?"

"This is not a belt," Erika muttered. "This doesn't have holes or a little metal piece to keep the straps in place."

Levi sighed. "You have to tie it."

Erika blinked.

He grumbled; patience thin, if not gone; as he made his way over to her. "How the hell do you expect to be a soldier if you can't even tie up your own harness?"

He took hold of the waist straps, his head bent down. She felt his fringe tickle her forehead as he jerked the straps until the harness was snug against her hips.

"Look," he instructed as he tightly knotted the harness. "You finish the other two."

The knot was simple enough and she got her harness tied up in a matter of seconds. Levi turned and grabbed the lines.

"Clip this on your side." He handed her one line and she did as he said while he did the other side. Now she was hooked up to the machine but with her feet still touching the ground.

"Now I'm going to raise you up. You have to keep your balance until I lower you."

And just like that, Erika Cho was floating.

Her face went from annoyance to terror in a flash. She looked down with wide eyes at Levi's blank face. He saw the panic in behind her eyes, but did not drop her yet. _She needs to prove herself._

Her butt hit the ground before anything else.

Levi exhaled.

"You have to balance."

"I know," she glared at her feet, dusting herself off.

"How do you expect to balance if you're so stiff?" He stepped over to her with a stern expression and pressed one hand on her back and one hand on her stomach. "And tighten up your core."

Erika tightened up her core.

She watched him walk over and tighten the cords until they were pulled taught and she was airborne.

Unsmiling but nodding slowly, the lance corporal did not break eye contact with her. Erika gradually outstretched her arms and tightened her core, stirring a bit, but not swaying. Then she broke the eye contact and looked over the bit of the training site she could see from her new height. The sparring grounds were littered with small clumps of grass kicked up from the ground and the dirt floor had dents in it. _What the hell am I going to do when we get to that?_ She wondered. _I've never sparred in my life!_

She came back to earth (literally) as she felt a plummeting feeling in her stomach. Her feet hit the ground and she let out a breath she had not realized she had been holding.

"How was that?"

Her commander looked her over. "Average."

"I thought I did pretty well." She smirked proudly. However, Levi's bland expression did not change.

"That was the easy part."

* * *

"How was she?" Erwin conversed. The dining hall was packed and across the room Erika was devouring her supper. Clearly Rivaille had worked her very hard.

"As of now her progress report remains incompetent. Her form needs work, she cannot follow orders a first time, and her sparring is dismal at best," he started. "However, she is very fast and exceeds every soldier's speed I have seen yet. Except mine, of course. From what I have assessed, she is a fast learner."

"Not horrible for her first day, I suppose," Erwin replied in between bites. "How long before she's up to speed?"

"She's already missed out on months. Even at a fast pace, it would take her a long time."

Erwin folded his hands. "I suppose extra training is an option?"

"What do you mean?" He asked blandly as he sipped his water.

"You could take her out of regular training for one-on-one sessions. Just until she gets caught up."

The corporal dropped his spoon. "I already took today off for that brat. Why should my troops have to suffer for her needs?"

"Oh, Rivaille, your troops won't suffer anything. If you want, the sessions can be after dinner or before breakfast-or both, if it's efficiency you're after."

Levi sighed. "Captain, with all due respect-"

"Do you want her to get caught up? You know the consequences in store if she doesn't," Erwin warned. "And too many young soldiers have lost their lives out on that plain already."

The younger man tipped the remainder of his drink into his mouth. He slowly finished his dinner bite by bite before replying.

"I suppose I can if it's in the best interest."

Erwin nodded before exiting, leaving Levi on his own at the table of officers.

After clearing his dishes, he groaned and made his way over to the girl to break the news. Starting tomorrow, she would train with him privately every day on a rotating basis: morning one day, night the next, and both the third day.

* * *

It was dark and Erika was on her bunk brushing her hair when the flurry of girls approached her.

"Were you the one the Corporal was talking to at dinner?" One asked excitedly.

Erika nodded slowly.

"What did he say?" Another asked.

"It was nothing…" Erika replied, embarrassed of the fact she was so far behind.

"You can tell us," the first one coaxed.

"Yeah, don't worry. We won't tell anyone," another girl added.

"Why do you care?" Erika demanded, annoyed now. Why did everyone think this corporal was such a big deal?

"No reason…" they erupted into a fit of giggles.

"I don't understand why you're so curious," she said. "Especially since you haven't paid any attention to me before tonight."

"Does it have to do with the reason he wasn't commanding his troops today?"

"No. Goodnight." She put down her brush and slid under her covers facing the wall.

* * *

Erika did not know how long she had kept her eyes closed but she knew she had not slept at all. The thoughts were driving her close to insanity as she yawned over and over but never slept. Behind her eyelids, the memories replayed like a film whose reels were jammed. The flashbacks were vivid and her sheets were slick with sweat as she tried not to thrash about. Gentle snoring of the girls around her filled the barrack while she suffocated in silence. The darkness filled every crevice and she began hyperventilating.

And then she was outside. Although she left the barrack, she did not leave the porch and therefore, was not violating her corporal's orders.

She took off her nightshirt and was left in her undershirt and the boxers she slept in. Closing her eyes, she let the wind flow into her and felt her body swell with the atmosphere. The night was cold and she felt exhilarated as goosebumps crawled up her pale skin. The saturation of claustrophobia was replaced by a temporary peace of mind.

For the first time in a long time, Erika Cho felt alive.


	4. Chapter 3

"Wake up," a deep voice commanded in a hiss-like whisper. Erika's eyes opened halfway. When she saw who it was, she groaned and rolled over facing the wall, sound asleep again.

Levi rolled his eyes and prodded her bare shoulder. "Cho, you were supposed to meet me at the training grounds ten minutes ago. I believe it's in your best interest that you _wake the hell up._"

Erika shivered when his cold fingers touched her bare skin and subconsciously curled up more under her blanket. The corporal realized that he was not going to be able to verbally wake her up without disrupting the rest of the sleeping girls. Internally grimacing, he planted his hands on her shoulders and spun her over so she was on her back.

The girl's hair was feathered over her face and Levi saw her brown eyes peeking up through it, finally fully open.

"What the hell?" She gasped.

"Shhh. Get dressed."

"Who let you in here?!" She hissed.

"I have access to all barracks." He replied calmly, managing to look bored and annoyed at the same time.

Erika grumbled to herself as she sat up and pulled her blanket around her shoulders, embarrassed to be wearing a tank top and boxers in front of the Lance Corporal.

"I'll meet you down there." She huffed.

"How do I know you won't go back to sleep?"

"Pinky promise."

"You've already wasted enough time."

Erika smirked. "Well, if you don't want to leave I guess I could change now…" She whispered as she began to slide the hem of her tank top up, knowing that would make him take off.

Levi shrugged and turned his back to her. "Go ahead."

Erika internally pouted as she stripped and slid into the custom training gear she kept under her bed. Erwin had finally gotten around to ordering her sizes and she was excited to wear it for the first time.

The Corporal observed the sleeping girls around him. He had never had to fetch a trainee from their barrack and found it odd how relaxed they were when they slept.

"It's still dark out," Erika was at his side clad in her new standard training gear. Levi turned and exited the barrack quickly. They made their way to the grounds in silence.

When they finally arrived, Levi gave his first order.

"Ten laps."

Erika's eyes widened. "That will take up the entire training time!"

"Not if you're fast."

"You couldn't even do that!"

"I don't have to. I was on time."

And with that, he gave her a shove toward the outskirts of the camp and she was off.

* * *

_That idiot,_ Erika thought. _This is bullshit. Running is the only think I'm relatively good at. Why is he making me run when I could be sparring or doing something productive I could improve on?_

A bead of sweat rolled down her temple, but she did not stop. Her hair was getting long. She would have to cut it or tie it back soon.

The sun began to rise as Erika rounded her sixth lap-or was it her seventh? She had lost track. Her breathing and pace had been even the entire time, but her legs were on fire. Pushing her bangs off her face, she picked up her pace. Maybe she could get away with nine…

Her stomach clawed at her insides. She had not gotten to finish her dinner last night, eating half of a regular portion. She chewed on the inside of her cheeks until she almost bit through. The air was turning hot again and the dew on the grass was glinting.

_How long have I been running?_ She pondered around her seventh/eighth lap. _The other trainees are probably waking up soon…_

* * *

The bread soaking in the milk looked lumpy as Erika pushed it around the metal bowl with her spoon. The girls at her table chattered on about meaningless things as Erika picked at her breakfast. Her appetite had evaporated.

Levi sat at the head table with Erwin.

"How was the first one-on-one?" Erwin asked cheerfully.

Levi's expression remained unchanged. "She overslept."

"What did you do?" Erwin glanced at her across the room. "She looks like hell."

"I woke her up. What was I supposed to do?"

"Did you kick-box her awake?" The older man laughed, taking a swig of his water. Levi maintained his stoic character.

He studied the girl. Her complexion was dull and there were blue circles beneath her eyes. Her hair was disheveled and she seemed to make herself as scarce as possible around the other girls while her eyes threatened to close.

As far as Levi knew, she had not been outside of her barrack last night, but lack of sleep seemed to become a pattern with her.

He turned back to his food and after finishing the last bite, left to prepare his training group for the day.

* * *

They met at the sparring grounds. Erika was silent as she stood among the other trainees. She was still bothered that she had been placed in Levi's training group and had not gotten over her "punishment" from this morning.

"Today we're going to learn a new sparring technique," the Corporal announced. "Cho! Get up here."

Erika jogged up to the front where Levi was standing. _God, what's he going to do to me…_

"Last week we learned the axe kick," he reviewed. Erika felt her stomach churn at that. "Today I will be showing you how to feint."

He steered Erika to face him and she felt a cold sweat break out on the back of her neck.

"If you don't already know, a feint is when you psychologically outdo your opponent."

Turning to face Erika, the Corporal leaned over and whispered, "Just spar as you normally would."

She narrowed her eyes. They both knew he picked her because her sparring was poor.

After he backed away, they adopted stable sparring positions, legs slightly apart, somewhat bent over. As they swayed at the ready, the Corporal kicked one leg towards her, but pulled back at the same rapid pace before his boot could connect with her side; instead extending the other leg and booting her side. It had all gone so fast, Erika had barely picked up his counterattack to the fake. Now she felt the pain in her side as she inhaled sharply. They had only sparred once before and it was during her evaluation. He had _certainly_ not tried anything like that.

The trainees watched in concentration.

"Everyone will now split up into pairs and practice the feint."

Erika clutched her side and looked up at him. He looked back at her. "You're behind on sparring, so you will be working with me today."

_Yay_.

* * *

The one-on-one session was hell, the trainings were hell, and dinner was hell for the food was, if possible, worse than before. Nevertheless, Erika ate every bite. She found that if she was hungry enough, it did not matter that the food resembled vomit (and tasted true to its form).

Although she hated the daytime and training, she positively _loathed_ the nighttime. It was now her fourth night and exactly the same as the other three. Erika could not get her mother's voice out of her head. The screams of her father echoed off of the four walls in her barrack, getting louder and louder with her heartbeat until she could not take it anymore. Blood seeped through the wooden roof above her and she rolled out of bed and onto the porch to gaze once again at the night sky.

Life at the camp was an enormous leap from life in Zhiganshina. No one here cared about you. They could care less if your family had been murdered by titans because _everyone else's had been too._ If you were upset, you stifled your emotions and pulled through because that is not an excuse for being a bitch at training. Now, three days later, no one is going to hold Erika's hand and tell her it will be alright. Everyone has their own problems to deal with and if you cannot cope, then it is _your_ fault for not adapting.

This is the way the entire world works and it will not change for one person's problems. Either you change for the world or the world changes for you.

**Thanks for reading. Continue to follow, favorite and review if you want more.**


	5. Chapter 4

**I find it relevant to say if you don't recognize some of the terms I use during the sparring scene, don't worry, I took them off a website and they aren't crucial for comprehending the chapter (except for one, but I describe it in detail).**

* * *

The wind blew her bangs back as she flew through the trees. After a full month of training, Erika had mastered the 3D Maneuver and even improved her sparring a great amount. Now as she carved out the nape of her eleventh "titan" in a row, a great feeling of accomplishment spread throughout her body. One more "kill" and Erika would be done with these one-on-one lessons. Well, she also had to pass the sparring evaluation. Only with both Corporal Levi's and Captain Erwin's approvals would she be able to quit these annoying private lessons.

Back on the ground, Levi stood at one end of the great arena while Erwin stood at the other. They both had clipboards and were examining her skill. Erwin had been right about Erika being aerodynamic as her lithe body spun through the air with what looked like effortless ease. The sound of knives crossing sounded through the air as she cleaved the final bag open with the blades.

Erika glided back down and landed gracefully in a somersault at Erwin's feet, standing up to attention.

"At ease," he said warmly. Erwin had always been kind to her.

As Erika relaxed, Levi made his way over. He compared results with Erwin and they turned their backs to her. After a couple of minutes, Erwin turned around and nodded to her.

"Time for sparring."

* * *

There was no denying how nervous she felt. Sparring was her weak spot, but after a month of training three- sometimes four -times a day, she had to be somewhat decent.

_Why would I have to know hand-to-hand combat anyway?_ _When will I ever have to spar a titan?_ She thought._ And why am I so nervous anyway? This isn't a final exam; this is just an evaluation to see if I'm ready for regular training._

"Cho," a voice snapped her out of her daze. She took in her surroundings and realized they had already arrived at their destination. Levi was standing in front of her expectantly.

"Oh, sorry," Erika replied. "Who am I sparring again?"

"Me," Levi said smugly. Her heart pounded.

"Rivaille and I feel it more beneficial that he be your partner," Erwin explained. "This way we get a bystanding opinion and an engaging opinion."

"Oh," everything around her suddenly became very big.

"Okay. Ready?" Erwin asked. Levi nodded. Erika shakily imitated him.

"Go!"

_Shit._

Levi had gone easy on her before in training. Would he do the same now?

A feint-to-roundhouse kick ensued. A feint was a second nature to her. Erika blocked the roundhouse kick and attempted a right jab-to-hook. The Corporal blocked her. This was obviously too easy for him.

Stepping it up with an axe kick did nothing as well. He blocked and hooked before her leg went back down. Now with a jagged pain in her head, she attempted a cut kick…that he countered with a spinning hook kick.

He tried a jab punch, but she executed a side step counter before sweeping his legs out from under him, knocking him to the ground.

_Now where the hell did I learn that?_ Erika pondered before trying to pin his arms down. She was on him now with her legs draped over either side of his torso. His arms were surprisingly easy to pin down…

Her back slammed to the ground and before she could comprehend what had happened they had switched places. Levi had flipped her over backwards and now she was on her back while he was pinning her down. Erika could not move. It was over.

"Alright kids," Erwin chuckled. "You're all done."

Levi was off her in a flash. Erika sat up as he dusted off his uniform.

"How do you do that?" She asked.

He extended a hand and (with a wave of déjà vu) pulled her to her feet. "Do what?"

"You counter everything."

"Sparring becomes a second nature."

"Rivaille," Erwin called. "I need your evaluation."

The men discussed Erika's sparring while she poked at a quickly-forming bruise on her hip. They had sparred for about five minutes. Was her sparring really that shitty?

"Cho," Levi called. She snapped to attention, her back straight and her right fist over her heart. "At ease. You've passed."

She exhaled and relief flooded through her. No more extra hours of training meant this whole experience just got a whole lot better.

"Now go," Levi ordered. "Don't be any later for dinner."

And Erika was gone.

"So what did you think? _Really?_" Erwin asked. Levi looked at him sideways as they made their way to the dining hall at their own pace.

"She wasn't completely awful, but she only lasted six and half minutes."

"That sweep-and-pin move was risky," Erwin defended. "It works really well if the enemy doesn't know how to retaliate, but if the enemy does know the retaliation move, it's all over. That's why it ended so quickly. In this case, you knew how to react, but it would have gotten any other _trainee_."

They walked a few more steps in silence.

"You were right about her speed."

Levi nodded. "Speed is a good thing to have, especially considering her lack of height and muscle."

"You were also right about her being a fast learner," Erwin continued. "The average trainees aren't at that level of control on the 3D Maneuver, even now. And did you teach her that sweep move?"

Levi shook his head. "She must have picked it up."

"She's something special."

A pause.

"I know."

* * *

Erika rushed into the concession where it was alive with chatter. As she got her food, she was pondering the evaluation. How had she passed at all? Her 3D Maneuvering was average, her academic knowledge was not nearly as extensive as she wished, and she had only lasted a mere five minutes sparring.

As she sat down at her usual place, the other girls turned to her.

"Um, hi," Erika said nervously.

"Where were you?" One of them asked nonchalantly.

"Nowhere." Her face started heating up.

"You were somewhere."

"I was taking a run." She turned away from them. She had not told anyone about the extra trainings.

"Where's the Corporal?" One of them prodded.

"I don't know," Erika lied. "Why are you asking me all these questions?"

"You're always out doing things and we're curious," the same girl replied.

"Why am I suddenly a topic of interest?" Erika asked.

There was silence at the table while the girls grinned at one another.

"Do you…_have something_ with the Corporal?"

Erika's cheeks burned. "No!"

The girls giggled as she rolled her eyes.

_How could they be so immature?_ Erika thought. _Why do they care so much about what I'm doing? We're not ten years old and we're not here to gossip and talk about boys._

At that moment, Levi and Erwin entered the concession. As they strolled by the table, Erika kept her head down while the rest of the girls stole a glance at the men. They took their usual seats and the girls turned back to Erika excitedly.

"He _totally_ looked at you!"

"No he didn't," Erika, thoroughly annoyed with their childish conversation, stood up to leave. As she stood up, she made brief eye contact with the Corporal from across the hall and quickly looked away before exiting the dining hall.

* * *

**So yeah sorry for the shorter chapter but I feel like I needed to stop there since I'm going to do a time jump to start the next chapter (I want her to graduate and I want to have a chapter where she encounters her first titan). Anyway, follows, favorites, and reviews are always encouraged**


End file.
